Yarn feed installation



Oct. 1 7, 1967 A. GRASSMANN 3,341,436

YARN FEED INSTALLATION Filed May 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Alfred GRASSMANN Vi 142M 0 v ATTORNEY 1967 A. GRASSMANN YARN FEED INSTALLATION Filed may 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENLFOR .Alfr-ed GRASSMANN ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,347,436 Patented. Oct. 17, 1967 M 64,3 13 Claims. (Cl. 226-177) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A yarn feed installation attachment comprising two discs which are rotatably mounted behind each other in oblique coverging planes with respect to each other so that the two discs touch each other off center. The two discs of the attachment frictionally engage the yarn thread and transport it to the knitting machine. One of the two discs is positively driven and is provided with entraining means for engaging the other disc. The two discs are mounted on a base plate which is removably mounted on the knitting machine. It is possible to mount a plurality of the aforementioned yarn feed installations so that a common driving gear ring of the knitting machine engages all of the drive cogs of the attachments.

This invention relates generally to yarn feed installations for circular knitting or hosiery machines.

More specifically this invention relates to yarn feed installations for knitting machines with either bearded or latch needles and a plurality of feeders.

The installation of this invention etlectuates the drawing of the yarn from a yarn package without slippage by means of an attachment which is driven by the machine in accordance with the latters speed and which frictionally engages the yarn.

Heretofore, spur gear wheel yarn feed installations were generally used in circular knitting and hosierymachines. These spur gear wheel installations generally comprise a pair of conical gear wheels which mesh with each other over a predetermined area. The yarn is fed between said pair of conical gear wheels which engage and transport the yarn. This known spur gear wheel yarn installation has the important disadvantage in that slippage of the yarn frequently occurs. The manufacturing process of good quality knitted fabrics with regular loop structure requires, however, continuous yarn feeding without slippage.

It has become known in the art to provide so-called band feed installations for feeding yarn to the knitting machine without slippage. In this type of installation the yarn is fed between a part of the periphery of a cylinder and a band mounted thereon. The yarn is then transported to the knitting machine in accordance with the rotational speed of the cylinder.

It is also known in the art to provide a two-roller yarn feed installation, wherein the yarn is fed between two rotating rollers that press against each other. The circumferential periphery of the rollers have relatively high coefficients of friction with respect to the yarn. The type of installation furnishes a yarn feeding free from slippage, but has the important drawback in that it cannot be fitted into the knitting machines which were originally equipped with spur gear yarn feed installations.

It is, consequently, a general object of this invention to provide an improved yarn feed installation which feeds yarn without slippage of the threads.

It is another more specific object of this invention to provide an improved yarn feed installation free from slippage which can be easily fitted onto a circular knitting or hosiery machine with either latch or bearded needles after removing the conventional spur gear yarn feed installation therefrom.

The aforedescribed objects of this invention are obtained by providing a yarn feed installation attachment which comprises two discs, which are rotatably mounted behind each other in oblique converging planes with respect to each other, so that the two discs touch each other off center. The two discs of the attachment frictionally engage the yarn thread and transport it to the knitting machine. A first one of the aforedescribed two discs is positively driven and is provided with entraining means which engage recesses in the second disc which is freely rotatably mounted. The entraining means also serve as a one-sided guide for the yarn thread as it runs between the two discs. The entrainment means may take the form of pegs of suitable material which are secured to the first disc equidistantly from its outer periphery, so that they form a concentric circle. These pegs are adapted to frictionally drive the second disc by engaging suitably shaped recesses in said second disc. The face contact area of one disc, which abuts against the other disc, is contacted along a portion of the disc diameter. The extent of the face contact area of the first disc depends on the degree of inclination at which the other disc has been set with respect to the first disc.

The two discs, together with their appurtenant bearings and drive shaft, are advantageously mounted on a base plate which is removably mounted on the knitting machine. This base plate also supports a yarn feeder and stop motion mechanism. The drive shaft is provided at one end with a drive cog which engages a drive member operatively mounted in the main body of the machine. By means of the aforedescribed constructional arrangement, it is possible to operatively mount all yarn feed attachments so that a common driving gear ring of the knitting machine engages all of the drive cogs of the attachments.

The aforementioned as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a central vertical section of the yarn feed attachment of this invention mounted in a circular knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of FIG. 1; .and

FIG. 3 is a front view of the yarn feed attachment of FIG. 1 in the area of the feed discs.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is illustrated therein a shaft member 1 having an enlarged portion 1 which is adapted to be inserted into an opening 2 of the top member 3 of a circular knitting machine. The shaft member 1 is provided with an erection plate extension 42 which serves to securely feed attachment to the outside wall of the top member 3 of the knitting machine.

shaft 7 for the yarn feed attachment. A profile disc 9, having a boss with a central bore is fitted onto the outer end of the shaft 7. An engagement peg 10, fitted to the drive shaft 7 near its outer end is adapted to engage a recess in the bore of the profile disc 9. The disc 9 is prevented from slipping olf the shaft 7 by means of a screw 11 which is threaded into shaft 7 are mounted on disc 9 its outer periphery so that they form a concentric circle. A second disc 15 is rotatably mounted on a ball bearing 16, oblique with respect. to shaft 7, and is provided with recesses 14. The pegs 12 engage the recesses 14' and thereby entrain disc 15. The ball bearing 16 is in turn mounted on a forwardly projecting portion of a cylindrical sleeve 17, which is in turn axially movably mounted on shaft member 1. The erection plate extension 42 is provided with a neck portion 42 extending from top member 3 and with a circular groove 44. A flange ring 4 is axially mounted on the neck portion 42' and acts as a spacer as described hereinafter. A pressure spring 13 is mounted in the circular groove 44 and is biased against the rear end flange member 17' of the sleeve 17, thereby urging the latter toward the face 13 of the disc 9. Due to the non-parallel arrangement of discs 9 and 15, the faces 13 and 19 thereof contact each other only on one side of shaft 7. The discs 9 and 15 have conically narrowed portions at their outer peripheries so as to form a running-in groove which facilitates the run-in of the yarn thread 20. The latter is run in between the faces 13 and 19 of the rotating discs 9 and 15.

A setting attachment has been provided to limit the axial displacement of the sleeve 17 and to accurately position the discs 9 and 15 with respect to each other. This setting attachment comprises a two-armed lever 22 which is swivellably mounted on a pin 24. The latter is secured to a bearing portion 23 which is fixedly connected to the flange ring 4. One arm 22 of the two-armed lever 22 projects into a longitudinal axially extending groove 25 of the sleeve 17 and rests against the flange member 17 thereof. The other arm 22" of the lever 22 is provided with an adjusting screw 26 threada'bly mounted therein which can be locked tight by means of a lock-nut 26". The pointed end 26 of the adjusting screw 26 is urged against the guide surface 27 of the member 28 by means of the lever action of spring 18 on the arm 22' which causes the arm 22" to pivot towards the right in FIG. 1. The member 28 is secured to a setting ring 29 by means of a bolt screw 46. The setting ring 29 is slidably displaceable in the direction of the arrows 45 and operatively cooperates with all yarn feed installations that are mounted on the top member 3 of the circular knitting machine. As can be noted from FIG. 2 of the drawings, the setting ring 29 can be adjustably displaced by means of a rod 30 on which there is mounted the threadably adjustable member 32 which is in turn pivotably connected by means of a pin 31 to the top member 3 of the knitting machine. A nose 33 of the adjustable member 32 abuts against member 28 and is adapted to adjustably position it when the adjustable member 32 is pivoted about pin 31 by the agency of the rod 30. Movement of the member 28 causes a sliding movement of the point 26 of the adjusting screw 26 with respect to the guide surface 27 of mem- 'ber 28. This movement of point 26 is transferred by the two-armed lever 22, due to the pivot support 24, to the sleeve 17, which can be made to slidably move to the right in FIG. 1 over the shaft member 1, away from the disc 9, so that the discs 9 and 15 move apart from each other. The setting ring 29, which is common to all yarn feed attachments of the knitting machine, can, in addition, be adjustably displaced from a central position so that the discs 15 of all attachments are simultaneously removed from the oppositely positioned discs 9.

The drive of the disc 9 is effected by the agency of the drive shaft 7 which has a gear cog 34 that meshes with a drive gear ring 35 having gear teeth 35'. The gear ring 35 is coaxially connected to the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine (not illustrated) and serves as a common drive gear ring for all yarn feed attachments of the circular knitting machine. The gear ring 35 is centrally supported in a drive gear ring 36 which has an internal annular surface 37 for centrally positioning the drive gear ring 35 for a dial (not illustrated) of the knitting machine. The drive gear ring 35 is driven by means of a centrally mounted drive motor via an infinitely variable transmission (not illustrated) in the same direction as the drive gear ring 36 which drives the dial of the knitting machine. The number of revolutions of drive gear ring 35 can be made to differ from those of drive gear ring 36 by means of setting the infinitely variable transmission.

In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a front elevation of the yarn feed installation of this invention which also illustrates the path the yarn thread 29 describes as it moves through the installation. The yarn thread 26 is guided from a yarn spool (not illustrated), in the direction of the arrow, via the yarn guide 38 into the run-in groove 21, which is situated between the disc 9 and the posteriorly mounted disc 15, and is entrained by the two discs without slippage at or near their point of contact. For the purpose of clarity and in order to dispense with an additional view, the point of contact of discs 9 and 15 is illustrated in FIG. 1 displaced by about shaft 7 from its actual situs. As can be noted from FIG. 3, the yarn thread 20 rests between discs 9 and 15 for a considerable distance on the pegs 12 of the disc 9. After passing between the discs 9 and 15, the yarn thread 20 passes through the pot eye 39 of a yarn stop motion 40 and through another yarn feeder 41 and thence to the knitting point. The yarn stop motion 4-0 is secured to the flange ring 4 by means of a screw 5. The yarn guides are also secured to the flange ring 4 of the shaft member 1 or, in the alternative, may be directly secured to the erection plate extension 42 which is illustrated in FIG. 3 in dotted lines and which is integral with the shaft member 1. The erection plate extension 42 is provided with slot holes 43 which are adapted to receive bolts (not illustrated) for attaching the entire yarn feed installation to the top member 3 of the circular knitting machine.

The yarn feed installation of this invention, as illustrated in the drawings, forms a unit which can be easily mounted and fitted on a circular knitting machine. The unit can be fitted over the flange ring 4 or on a suitable erection plate such as erection plate 42 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The ya-rn feed installation unit of this invention can be fitted and constructed in a manner to be suitable for replacing a spur gear yarn feed installation, which is also driven by a central drive gear ring.

The yarn feed installation of this invention can be modified in several ways. This applies particularly to the displacement means for moving the discs 9 and 15 towards and away from each other. Furthermore, it is not absolutely essential that the face 13 of the drive disc 9 be slightly inclined so as to correspond somewhat to the inclination of the face 19 of disc 15.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim 1. A yarn feed installation of the character described for feeding yarn thread to a circular knitting machine or the like with central driving means, comprising in combination, first cylinder means removably secured to said machine, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said first cylinder means, gear means on said drive shaft meshing with said central driving means of said machine, second cylinder means slidably mounted over said first cylinder means, a first disc axially mounted on said drive shaft, a second disc means adjacent to said second disc, said first and second discs being axially non-aligned with respect to each other, said second disc and said second cylinder being slida-bly movable towards and away from said first disc, said first and sec-0nd discs being adapted to engage a yarn thread therebetween and feed said yarn thread to said machine when said first disc is driven by said driving means of said machine via said drive shaft and gear means.

2. A yarn feed installation of the character described for feeding yarn thread to a circular knitting machine or mounted on said second cylinder the like with central driving means, comprising in combination, first cylinder means removably mounted on said machine, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said first cylinder means, said drive shaft having a front end axially projecting from said first cylinder means and a rear end extending towards the center of said machine, gear means secured to said rear end of said drive shaft and meshing with said central driving means of said machine, second cylinder means slidably mounted over said first cylinder means, a first disc axially secured to said front end of said drive shaft, a second disc rotatably mounted on said second cylinder means adjacent to said first disc, said second disc being slidably movable jointly with said second cylinder means towards and away from said first disc, said first and second discs being axially non-aligned with respect to each other, entraining means operatively mounted on said first disc and adapted to engage and rotatably drive said second disc, said first and second discs being adapted to engage a yarn thread therebetween and feed said yarn thread to said machine when said second disc is rotatably driven by said first disc.

3. A yarn feed installation of the character described for feeding yarn thread to a circular knitting machine or the like with central driving means, comprising in combination, first cylinder means removably mounted on said machine, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said first cylinder means, said drive shaft having a front end axially projecting from said first cylinder means and a rear end extending towards the center of said machine, gear means secured to said rear end of said drive shaft and meshing with said central driving means of said machine, second cylinder means slidably mounted over said first cylinder means, a first disc axially secured to said front end of said drive shaft, a second disc rotatably mounted on said second cylinder means adjacent to said first disc, said second disc being slidably movable jointly with said sec ond cylinder means towards and away from said first disc, said first and second discs being axially non-aligned with respect to each other, a plurality of pegs mounted on said first disc equidistantly from its center and extending towards said second disc, said second disc having recess means adapted to receive said plurality of pegs and be driven by said first disc when said second disc jointly with said second cylinder are operatively slida'bly moved towards said first disc, said first and second discs being adapted to engage a yarn thread therebetween and feed said yarn thread to said machine when said second disc is rotatably driven by said first disc.

4. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 3, wherein the axis of said second cylinder is non-aligned with respect to the axis of said second disc which is rotatably mounted thereon.

5. A yarn feed installation of the character described for feeding yarn thread to a circular knitting machine (3) or the like with central driving means (35, 36), comprising in combination, first cylinder means (1, 1) removably mounted on said machine, a drive shaft (7) rotatably mounted in said first cylinder means (1, 1'), said drive shaft (7 having a front end axially projecting from said first cylinder means 1, 1') and a rear end extending towards the center of said machine, .gear means (34) secured to said rear end of said drive shaft and meshing with said central driving means (35, 36) of said machine, second cylinder means (17) slidably mounted over said first cylinder means (1, 1), a first disc (9) axially secured to said front end of said drive shaft (7), a second disc rotatably mounted on said second cylinder means (17) adjacent to said first disc (9), said second disc 15) being slidably movable jointly with said second cylinder means (17) towards and away from said first disc (9), said first (9) and second (15) discs being axially non-aligned with respect to each other, entraining means (12) operatively mounted on said first disc (9) and adapted to engage and rotatably drive said second disc (15), said first (9) and second (15) discs being adapted to engage a yarn thread (20) therebetween and feed said yarn thread (20) to said machine when said second disc (15) is rotatably driven by said first disc (9).

6. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 3, including biasing means operatively mounted between said first and second cylinders, said biasing means slidably urging said second cylinder and second disc along said first cylinder towards said first disc.

7. The yarn feed installation as setforth in claim 3, wherein said first and second cylinders and said drive shaft are coaxially mounted with respect to each other, and including roller bearing means operatively mounted on said second cylinder for rotatably supporting said second disc thereon.

8. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 6, including adjusting means operatively connected to said second cylinder for adjusting the position thereof in an axial direction with respect to said first cylinder.

9. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 8, wherein said adjusting means comprise a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on said machine, and wherein said second cylinder has a recess opposite said two-armed lever, a first arm of said two-armed lever extending into said recess, and a screw threadably mounted in a second arm of said two-armed lever and abutting against said machine, whereby said two-armed lever can be pivoted with respect to said machine by threadably adjusting said screw, thereby adjustably axially moving said second cylinder along said first cylinder via said first arm in said recess of said second cylinder.

10. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 9, comprising cam means movably mounted on said machine and abutting against said screw, and second adjusting means operatively connected to said cam means for adjustably pivoting said two-armed lever with respect to said machine via said cam means and said screw.

11. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first and second discs respectively have conically shaped outer edges which form a run-in groove therebetween for said yarn thread.

12. The yarn feed installation as set forth in claim 10, wherein said second adjusting means comprise an adj sting ring which is axially mounted in said machine and which is slidably movable, said cam means being securely mounted on said adjusting ring and move jointly therewith.

13. In a circular knitting machine having electric motor driving means, a circular gear ring axially rotatably mounted in said machine and operatively connected to said electric motor driving means, a plurality of yarn feed installations of the character described removably mount: ed on said machine for feeding yarn thread to a circular knitting machine or the like with central driving means, each one of said yarn feed installations, comprising in combination, first cylinder means removably mounted on said machine, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said first cylinder means, said drive shaft having a front end axially projecting from said first cylinder means and a rear end extending towards the center of said machine, gear means secured to said rear end of said drive shaft and meshing with said central driving means of said machine, second cylinder means slidably mounted over said first cylinder means, a first disc axially secured to said front end of said drive shaft, a second disc rotatably mounted on said second cylinder means adjacent to said first disc, said second disc being slidably movable jointly with said second cylinder means towards and away from said first disc, said first and second discs being axially non-aligned with respect to each other, a plurality of pegs mounted on said first disc equidistantly from its center and extending towards said second disc, said second disc having recess means adapted to receive said plurality of pegs and be driven by said first disc when said second disc jointly with said second cylinder are operatively slidably moved towards said first disc, said first and second discs being 7 adapted to engage a yarn thread therebetween and feed said yarn thread to said machine when said second disc is rotatably driven by said first disc; the gear means of each of said plurality of yarn feed installations meshing with said circular gear ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 488,390 12/1892 Gordon 74-230.24

8 1,928,117 9/1933 Stewart 74230.24 X 3,104,792 9/1963 Walton 226183 X 3,193,254 7/1965 Minnick 74-230.24 X

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

J. N. ERLICH, A. N. KNOWLES,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A YARN FEED INSTALLATION OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED FOR FEEDING YARN THREAD TO A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OR THE LIKE WITH CENTRAL DRIVING MEANS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, FIRST CYLINDER MEANS REMOVABLY SECURED TO SAID MACHINE, A DRIVE ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FIRST CYLINDER MEANS, GEAR MEANS ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT MESHING WITH SAID CENTRAL DRIVING MEANS OF SAID MACHINE, SECOND CYLINDER MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED OVER SAID FIRST CYLINDER MEANS, A FIRST DISC AXIALLY MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A SECOND DISC MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND CYLINDER MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID SECOND DISC, SAID FIRST AND SECOND DISCS BEING AXIALLY NON-ALIGNED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID SECOND DISC AND SAID SECOND CYLINDER BEING SLIDABLY MOVABLE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST DISC, SAID FIRST AND SECOND DISCS BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A YARN THREAD THEREBETWEEN AND FEED SAID YARN THREAD TO SAID MACHINE WHEN SAID FIRST DISC IS DRIVEN BY SAID DRIVING MEANS OF SAID MACHINE VIA SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND GEAR MEANS. 